The Faithful Spy by Alan Berenson

The Faithful Spy by Alan Berenson

Reviewed by Ken, Librarian at Bridgewater Library

For John Wells, the goals are simple: “Get the bad guy, save the country, get the girl.” But things are far from clear cut for this CIA agent who has spent several years in Pakistan undercover inside al Qaeda. Not fully trusted by either side, he must maintain his cover long enough to learn of the terrorists’ next big attack, requiring him to return home and join a long dormant American sleeper cell. Can he prove his loyalty to both sides long enough to realize his goals?

Alex Berenson’s, The Faithful Spy, unfurls this intriguing scenario in a plausible, fast-paced fashion with a touch of deep characterization to boot. The book also gives the reader a feel for what types of challenges confront those preventing terror in America.

Bright Lights, Big City by Jay McInerney

Bright Lights, Big City by Jay McInerney

Review by Morris, Librarian at Bridgewater Library

You are an unnamed protagonist who spends his days working as a fact checker for a well-known, unnamed New York magazine and dreaming of being a successful writer. At night you drink and snort as much coke as you possibly can in a futile attempt to forget that your wife has recently left you. Unsurprisingly, this turns out to not be the most effective coping mechanism. You have yet to share with your colleagues, friends, and family members the fact that your wife has left you. You keep thinking that maybe, just maybe, she’ll come back. The last time you heard from her she was on assignment, modeling in Paris. "Here you go again. All messed up and no place to go." You’re looking for answers in all the wrong places. Things are not going well and they’re just going to keep getting worse until you figure out what it is you’re looking for.

The first thing you notice about Bright Lights, Big City is that it’s written in the second person. The fact that it works is what makes it such a great book. “You” become part of the narrative. In the hands of a lesser writer this trick would come off as a cheap gimmick, but McInerney is a fantastic writer. He captures the vapid decadence of 1980s New York perfectly, but he doesn’t glorify it. Instead he holds up a mirror to it. We witness the shallowness and the emotional bankruptcy. We ride the highs, fleeting and illusory, only to be left with the soul-crushing lows. The first chapter is one of my favorite things I’ve ever read. If you’ve ever found yourself somewhere you shouldn’t be doing something you shouldn’t do to forget something you’ll only wind up remembering even more painfully than when you began you know what I mean. Redemption doesn’t come easy, but there’s always hope where there’s a surface to scratch.

That Old Cape Magic by Richard Russo

That Old Cape Magic by Richard Russo

Review by Kay, Librarian at Bridgewater Library

That Old Cape Magic has an involved story line looking at marriage and family life through the eyes of the main character, Jack Griffin. Jack and Joy have been married for 30 years and a weekend at Cape Cod brings back both memories of their honeymoon, but also thoughts of Jack’s parents troubled marriage. The novel zooms in on a year of family life where Jack and Joy separate, parents die and children get married.

It is a funny and page turning story of a middle-aged man coming to terms with his ambitions and dreams and what his family members really mean to him, especially his parents. It’s an enjoyable tale where you feel you understand these characters and root for Jack to find a happy ending.

The Confession by John Grisham

The Confession by John Grisham

A man is to be executed in a few days time for a crime he insists he did not commit, even though he did confess to the crime after a lengthy interrogation. His conviction was based on circumstantial evidence and, most importantly, the confession the accused claims is untrue. Now, a felon on parole, a man dying of a brain tumor, is shocked to find out that another man is going to be executed for a crime he claims to have committed.

Every once in a while you read a book that really gets to you; a book which inspires a big emotional response. This book made me angry. I’m really glad I read it, it really made me think, but still, it made me mad. It’s also made me more aware of the people being exonerated and how flimsy the cases that put them into jail for a significant portion of their lives actually were. It’s a real eye opener of a novel.

The Popular Fiction Book Discussion Group will be meeting at the Borders of Bridgewater Store on Tuesday, May 17^th at 7pm to discuss The Confession. After discussing The Confession we’ll spend some time talking about our favorite legal thriller authors and books, and why these books are so popular.

The Book of Fate by Brad Meltzer

The Book of Fate by Brad Meltzer

Blurb Written by Chris, Librarian at Bridgewater Library

There was an assassination attempt on the President; the attempt failed, but one of his oldest friends was killed in his stead, and one of his aides disfigured for life. Six years later, the aide is still working with the former president when he runs into the old friend who, as far as he knew, has been dead the whole time. When the aide tries to understand why, he reveals a secret of corruption that goes higher than anyone imagined. And the news is out that the would-be assassin is once again on the prowl... The book is a fast-pace thriller with a plot that constantly twists. The story is mostly told from the perspective of Wes, the scarred aide; alternate chapters (each about two or three pages) are told from that of other characters: mostly the Roman (one of the conspirators) and Nico (the assassin).

The huge Masonic subtext hinted at in the logo and on the book jacket seems more of an attempt to cash in on the WOO MASONIC CONSPIRACY readers that Dan Brown would sucker three years later; there is mention of the membership of some of the Founding Fathers and the planned geometry of DC, and Nico is portrayed with an obsession with the Masons being part of his overall full-guano insanity, but otherwise there is no real connection. The conspirators in the book are not related to the brotherhood; most of the book takes place in Palm Beach, not DC; and the political intrigue remains generally political.

It is far more well-written than Dan Brown's later book, although as mentioned, people looking for a THE MASONS CONTROL EVERYTHING will be disappointed. Read it for the suspense and political machinations instead.

7 Deadly Wonders by Matthew Reilly

7 Deadly Wonders by Matthew Reilly

In 7 Deadly Wonders a small international team of commandos, plus a scientist and a 10-year-old girl, dash around the world in a retrofitted Boeing 747. Their mission is to find the far-flung, long-lost Seven Wonders of the Ancient World and, with them, the seven pieces of the golden capstone of the Great Pyramid of Khufu. Of course bad guys want the pieces as well, because whatever homeland puts the pieces together not only averts a catastrophic flooding of the earth, but also will rule for a 1000 years.

Reilly is Australian and I love the countries of origin of the international team – Australia, Canada, Ireland, Spain, Jamaica, Israel, Saudi Arabia and New Zealand. Residents of superpowers need not apply. Two VERY cool things about this book. 1. LOTS of diagrams and maps. I LOVE diagrams and maps. 2. America and Europe are the bad guys. The Americans are the bullies. We ARE the bad guys in this book. And what’s neat is you don’t want us to win.

Fast-paced action and lots of tricky puzzles, traps and ancient lore (and did I mention maps?!) make this book rush by as the end of the world is nigh.

Dead or Alive by Tom Clancy

Dead or Alive by Tom Clancy

There are some authors, as a librarian, I feel that I am duty bound to read. It is with this duty in mind that I forced myself to listen to a Tom Clancy book. I was prepared to hate it. But, alas, I truly loved it and can’t wait for the next one.

There are six or seven storylines weaving and breaking and coming back together and up until the end you were puzzling through how they would fit together and how the Campus (the kind of outside the government yet still government special-ops agency) would stop this multi-pronged terrorist attack on America. Wow.

I think my enjoyment had a lot to do with Lou Diamond Philips who I didn’t think would be a great narrator, but wow. He got every accent right (and there were lots of them) and you could tell all the multiple characters apart just by listening. I would now listen to anything he narrates.

Legend by David Lynn Golemon

Legend by David Lynn Golemon

In Legend the Event Group (otherwise known as section 5656) a clandestine government agency made up of guys good with guns as well as professors of every discipline imaginable, try to solve unknown mysteries while, of course, saving the world. An expedition to the Amazon lost 500 years ago prompts a former 5656 agent to try to find El Dorado, and more importantly, the humanoid creature that has evolved in this section of the Amazon. If you like books with lots of cool gadgets, twists on history and the strange, you’ll like this series. It was a little hard to get into because SO much is going on at once, but I was hooked before long and wanted to keep reading. Plus, any book that manages to tie in an ancient church in the Spanish countryside, an underground Incan pyramid in a secluded lagoon AND the battle of the Little Big Horn has to be cool.

I looked into what the next few books are about and you’ve got Atlantis, a really annoyed sea monster and scary Bigfoot like creatures. I can’t wait to continue this series.

I would love to read them in order, but Event is missing from our collection and out of print! I’m searching around for it in the used bookstores I go to though and will donate it to the collection when I’m successful. But I can attest that you can jump in at the second book and not feel lost at all.

The Bricklayer by Noah Boyd

The Bricklayer by Noah Boyd

Steve Vail used to work for the FBI. But he had authority figure issues. Big time. So he left the Bureau behind and took up again the job he worked before his time as an agent, he became a Chicagoan bricklayer. Now the FBI has a major problem, one that may lurk inside their ranks, so they need an outsider to help clean house. Who better than a former employee who happens to be between construction jobs?

Vail is not a team player. He truly has problems answering to superiors and following the rules. He even has issues with staying within rough guidelines. But you have to like him because he gets the job done. Makes me wonder what the author, a former FBI agent himself, is like.

The second in the series Agent X has just come out with less than favorable reviews, so I’m going to wait for book three and hope Vail is back in the top form he is in this debut outing.

Endgame: Bobby Fischer’s Remarkable Rise and Fall from America’s Brightest Prodigy to the Edge of Madness by Frank Brady

Endgame: Bobby Fischer’s Remarkable Rise and Fall from America’s Brightest Prodigy to the Edge of Madness by Frank Brady

Everyone knows of Bobby Fischer, chess prodigy who battled wits against the Russians over a chessboard during the Cold War. But how many people actually knew him? Apparently not many. The author wrote a biography of Fischer when he was at the top of his game, and knew him quite well at that time. Now, the author has written the whole story of Fischer’s life, from his introduction to chess, to his struggle with the law and what may have been mental illness, to his death in Iceland. It’s an enlightening look at a legend that begs the question: is talent something you are born with? Or something which is learned?

If you are interested in chess and the “perfect games” which have been played through history I definitely recommend The Immortal Game. It’s a great book about a particular match that is just amazing. I was wowed by it and I am an awful chess player.

The Non-fiction Book Discussion Group will be meeting at the Bridgewater Library on Thursday, May 12^th to discuss Endgame.

The Weird Sisters by Eleanor Brown

The Weird Sisters by Eleanor Brown

Three sisters, all named after Shakespeare’s heroines, come home again to help their sick mother. Well, not really. They are all running from their respective lives to the comfort of their wacky childhood home. Rose (Rosalind) is in love, but her fiancé is in London and wants her to join him, she is a homebody and the idea scares her. Bean (Bianca) leaves a wake of destruction in her path from New York City and continues her destructive ways. And Cordy (Cordelia) is pregnant and out of options from her life on the road so she returns to the only home she knows.

Fans of Shakespeare will love guessing which plays the quotes, which family members love to use, are from, and will delight in the meaning these old words have hundreds of years later. Those with sisters will enjoy the sibling rivalry and the way family, and a love of literature, saves all.

Probably the neatest thing about this book is the narration, it is told in first person plural, told by the Weird Sisters as three parts of one entity. It’s a little strange when you start out, but it grows on you, and it’s a neat way to tell the story.

Safe Haven by Nicholas Sparks

Safe Haven by Nicholas Sparks

Katie is determined to start her life over. She manages to escape her abusive marriage and flees under a new identity to a small coastal town in North Carolina. There she meets Alex, a widower with two children and owner of the corner store where Katie does her weekly shopping. It’s no secret that these two will start to have feelings for each other, nor is it shocking that the abusive husband eventually manages to track Katie down. What is interesting is the way the author writes the abusive husband’s rationalizations for the way he treats his wife and those around him. It’s truly frightening to be in the mind of an abuser. There are also some twists the novel takes which I wasn’t expecting at all which set the novel apart.

I have to admit I was pleasantly surprised by Sparks’ latest novel. I didn’t enjoy the last couple of his I read, but I decided to give him another chance, and I’m glad I decided to listen to this audiobook.

Beneath a Marble Sky by John Shors

Beneath a Marble Sky by John Shors

Ever wonder about the story behind the Taj Mahal? I knew that an Emperor, stricken by grief, had it built as a tomb for his beloved wife. Yet I didn’t know about Hindustani history and the constant warring occurring between the Pakastanis, Deccans and Hindustani.

This is the story of a family; a happily married husband and wife and their children. There is the peace-loving poet son, the war-loving angry younger son, and the cunning and intelligent daughter. The story follows the life of the daughter Jahanara, the best suited for the throne, aside from her gender. Her love for her parents, her siblings and her secret lover are the true story of this tale.

This is a romance and a glimpse at a period and place in history not often written about. If you like historical fiction I would suggest giving this one a try.

The Little Sleep by Paul Tremblay

The Little Sleep by Paul Tremblay

Mark Genevich hasn’t been the same since his car accident. His best friend died and he is a changed man. In addition to the damage to his body, Genevich suffered brain damage as well. Now Genevich is a narcoleptic detective. Typically he takes on cases that only require computer research, yet he awakens one day to find that he has apparently taken on a real case. Unfortunately he was asleep when he took it (he’s asleep, but to the people interacting with him he appears to be awake) and has no memory of who his client is, or what they hired his to do. He just knows that two pictures of a woman from the hit show American Star seem to be involved.

This is a really interesting way to write a mystery. One of the many side effects of narcolepsy, besides falling asleep at random, is hypnagogic hallucinations. Genevich, and in turn the reader, isn’t quite sure what’s real and what his brain made up. I learned a lot about narcolepsy, and you find yourself cheering for this guy, hoping he can stay awake and solve the case. I listened to this book (great on audio by the way) and I didn’t even know what the mystery was, nevermind trying to figure out who did it, until about half way through!

If you’re in the mood for something completely different, with a VERY twisty plot, give this one a try.

American Male Private Investigators

The Mysterious Mornings group met this morning and talked about their favorite mysteries starring American Male PIs. If it was mystery or thriller and it featured a main character that was male and employed as a private investigator, it fit this month's subgenre.

Here are the group favorites listed by author and their series main character:

• Belzer, Richard (Richard Belzer)
• Chandler, Raymond (Philip Marlowe)
• Coleman, Reed Farrel (Moe Prager)
• Cussler, Clive (Isaac Bell)
• Deutermann, P.T. (Cam Richter)
• Gallison, Kate (Nick Magaracz)
• Greenleaf, Stephen (John Marshall Tanner)
• Lescroart, John (Wyatt Hunt)
• Maleeny, Tim (Cape Weathers)
• Mosley, Walter (Easy Rawlins)
• Parker, Robert B. (Spenser)
• Spiegelman, Peter (John March)
• Spillane, Mickey (Mike Hammer)
• Tierney, Ronald (Dietrich Shanahan)
• Tremblay, Paul (Mark Genevich)
• Vachss, Andrew H. (Burke)

Interesting in joining in on a Mysterious Morning discussion? A list of suggested authors and titles are available at the Bridgewater Library and books will be on display about a month prior to the discussion. (If you’re a voracious mystery reader you can read more than one.) Our next theme/subgenre is Dogs and Cats Solving Mysteries Together!

If it’s a mystery and it features a main character that is not human, then it fits this month’s sub-genre. Just keep in mind how main character's species affects the unfolding of the mystery because that’ll be a major talking point at our discussion on Wednesday, May 18^th at 9:30am at the Bridgewater Library.